Galvanizing apparatus



Oct. 9, 1951 H. BABLIK GALVANIZING APPARATUS Filed April 1, 1949 Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED GALVANIZIN G APPARATUS Heinz Bablik, Vienna, Austria, assignor to Brunner Verzinkerei Bruder Bablik, Vienna, Austria, a firm Application April 1, 1949, Serial No. 84,784 In Austria September 8, 1948 Claims. (Cl. 91-125) Devices for the hot-galvanising of simple articles such as metal plates, wires, tubes and the like have previously been proposed for automatically introducing the articles into the galvanising bath and removing them therefrom. Since the dipping of these articles takes place in their longitudinal direction the dipping process does not ofier any difiiculties. However, articles more particularly hollow bodies which are shaped in several directions and which have to be more or less turned about during the hot-galvanising in the zinc bath, have hitherto been galvanised only manually. This however, more particularly in the case of the galvanising of large hollow vessels, such as tubs and the like, requires large physical efforts on the part of the workmen and takes comparatively a long period of time, so that the output of the galvanised articles is small and the manual work entailed relatively heavy.

This invention relates to a device for hot-galvanising of articles shaped in several directions and more particularly of hollow articles, which owing to their complicated shape have to change their position several times during the passage through the galvanising bath, and the invention essentially consists in this that, in addition to the galvanising bath, conveying, holding and steering devices are provided which co-operate in such a manner that the hollow articles to be galvanised are subjected to changes in position required for the galvanising and are tilted during the removal from the bath in order to discharge the liquid zinc present in the hollow spaces.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one mode, the conveying device consists of a suspension train, each carriage of which carries tongs forming the holding device, the actuating arms of the tongs being provided with rollers which run on steering rails, the latter efiecting the change in position of the hollow articles during the galvanising and the emptying. In a preferred form of construction the rollers of the closing arms of the tongs act as counter-weights ensuring the closing position of their gripping arms. The steps of operation required for the galvanising may be carried out in a continuous manner by causing the conveying and the steering device to be led over the containers and the devices for the mordants, the washing, the flux treatment, the drying, the zinc bath and if required over the devices for the subsequent treatment of the hollow articles.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example one mode of carrying the invention into efiect in connection with the galvanising of pails.

Figure 1 is a side view of the device wherein the galvanising pan is shown in longitudinal section, and

Figure 2 is a cross section along the line II-II in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 2 is a galvanising tank or pan containing the zinc bath I over which there is provided a guiding track constituted by two rails 3 and 4' arranged in a vertical plane, the lower rail 3 serving to support the rollers 5 of small carriages 6, whilst the upper rail 4 serves as a guide for the said rollers. The rails 3 and 4 are inclined downwardly over the ends of the tank or pan 2, so that the carriages 6, which are interconnected by a driving means or pulling member I, approach the level of the zinc in the bath during the pulling of the member I in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, being then pulled for a certain portion parallel to it, and thereupon again led upwards. On each carriage there is provided a carrying member 8 pivoted at 9, an articulating bolt I0 being provided at its lower free end for the arms of holding means in the shape of holding tongs, the latter being arranged so as to be capable of being rocked transversely to the direction of movement of the carriages. Closing arms or projections II, II of the tongs are provided at their free ends with rollers I2, I2 which, acting as biasing means counter-weights, force the holding arms or gripping elements I3, I3 rigidly connected with said closing arms II, II into the closing position. The roller I2, I2 co-operate within the range of the pan 2 with the steering rails I4, I4, which are fixed above'it and which are arranged parallel to the direction of movement of the carriages 6. The pails I5 are suspended between the holding arms I3, I3, being held firmly owing to the weight of the rollers I2, I2. When the carriages are driven in the direction of the arrow (Figure 1) by means of the pulling member I, the pails are caused to be introduced into the zinc bath I, as can be seen from the drawings. Before the complete immersion, the roller I2 abuts against the steering rail I4, so that the arm I I is pressed downwards and the pail I5, after complete escape of the air, is completely immersed into the bath, and at the same time it is moved transversely to the direction of movement to the right (Figure 2) where upon, owing to the co-operation of the waveshaped steering rails I4, I4 with the rollers I2, I2, the pail is rocked to and fro during the forward movement in the zinc bath; now the pail is lifted out of the zinc bath and when reaching the last wave crest of the rail I4 is so tilted that the zinc taken along within the bottom border of the pail can flow away, whilst the next following wave through of the rail H causes any possible trace of zinc that may be present in the hollow space of the pail to be thrown off. The carriages 6 are carried along an endles track under which lie the containers or the devices for the mordants, the washing, the flux treatment, the drying, the zinc bath, and if required the devices for the subsequent treatment of the articles to be galvanised. In the case of the containers intended for the mordants, the washing and the flux treatment, similar steering surfaces l4, M are provided for the dipping of the pails IS.

The device according to the invention, which may be suitably constructed for all kinds of articles shaped in difierent directions, enables the galvanising process to be substantially accelerated since several articles can be simultaneously treated in the galvanising pan, whereby a substantial reduction in expenditure is effected from a thermo-economical point of view as compared with the manual galvanising.

What I claim is:

1. Conveyor means for use in conjunction with a galvanizing tank of an apparatus for galvanizing articles, especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, by dipping same into said tank, comprising in combination: a track, at least one carriage movable on said track, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, a pivotal connection between said holding means and said supporting member, said pivotal connection being arranged below said track substantially in the vertical plane containing the latter, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said track, a pair of steering rails of predetermined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, and a pair of projections laterally extending from said holding means, one projection on each side'of said holding means, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of said projections during a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said holding means ma be swung relative to said carriage about the axis of said pivotal connection.

2. Conveyor means for use in conjunction with a galvanizing tank of an apparatus for galvanizing articles, especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, by dipping same into said tank, comprising in combination: a pair of spaced parallel guiding rails constituting a track, said guiding rails being arranged one above the other in a vertical plane, at least one carriage movably engaged with said track of spaced guiding rails, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, a pivotal connection between said holding means and said supporting member, said pivotal connection being arranged below said track substantially in the vertical plane containing the latter, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said track, a pair of steering rails of predetermined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, and a pair of projections laterally extending from said holding means, one projection on each side of said holding means, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of said projections during a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said holding means may be swung relative to said carriage about the axis of said pivotal connection.

3. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a series of carriages movable on said track, each carriage carrying swingable holding means provided with projections engaged with said steering rails, and said driving means including pulling means connecting said carriages with each other.

4. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a pair of rollers, one roller rotatably arranged on each of said projections, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of said rollers during a movement of said carriage along said track.

5. Conveyor means for use in conjunction with a galvanizing tank of an apparatus for galvanizing articles, especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, by dipping same into said tank, comprising in combination: a track, at least one carriage movable on said track, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, tong-like holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, a pivotal connection between said tong-like holding means and said supporting member, said pivotal connection being arranged below said track substantially in the vertical plane containing the latter, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said track, said tong-like holding means including a pair of connected gripping elements and closing arms, and a pair of steering rails of predetermined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said tra'ck, one steering rail on each side of said track, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of the closing arms of said tong-like holding means during a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said tong-like holding means may be swung relative to said carriage about the axis of said pivotal connection.

6. Conveyor means for use in conjunction with a galvanizing tank of an apparatus for galvanizing articles, especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, by dipping same into said tank, comprising in combination: a track, at least one carriage movable on said track, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage,

tonglike holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, saidtong-like holding means being swingably mounted on said supporting member, said tong-like holding means including a pair of rigidly connected gripping elements and closing arms, biasing means arranged on said closing arms for automatically bringing said gripping elements into closing position, and a pair of steering rails of predetermined wavelike shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of the closing arms of said tong-like holding means during a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said tong-like holding means may be swung relative to said carriage.

7. Conveyor means for use in conjunction with a galvanizing tank of an apparatus for galvanizing articles, especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, by dipping same into said tank, comprising in combination: a track, at least one carriage movable on said track, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, tong-like holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, said tong-like holding means-being swingably mounted on said supporting member, said tong-like holding means including a pair of connected gripping elements and closing arms, a pair of steering rails of predeter- I mined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, and a pair of rollers, one roller rotatably arranged on each of said closing arms, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of said rollers during'a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said tong-like holding means may be swung relative to said carriage.

8. In an apparatus as claimed in claim '7, said rollers being mounted at the end of said closing arms so as to act as biasing means for automatically bringing said gripping elements into closing position. i

9. An apparatus for galvanizing articles. especially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, comprising in combination: a tank for receiving a galvanizing bath, a track arranged above said tank, at least one carriage movable on said track. driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a supporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, a pivotal connection between said holding means and said supporting member, said pivotal connection being arranged below said track substantially in the vertical plane containing the latter, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said track, a pair of steering rails of predetermined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, at least cially hollow articles, such as pails or the like, comprising in combination: a tank for receiving a galvanizing bath, a track arranged above said tank, said track having a bend above said tank,.

said bend being directed towards said tank, at least one carriage movable on said track, driving means operatively connected with said carriage for moving same along said track, a suporting member mounted on and suspended from said carriage, holding means arranged below said track for holding an article, a pivotal connection between said holding means and said supporting member; said pivotal connection being arranged belowsaid track substantially in the vertical plane containing'the latter, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially parallel to" the longitudinal axis of said track, a pair of steering rails of predetermined wave-like shape extending in planes parallel to the vertical plane containing said track, one steering rail on each side of said track, at least a portion of the wavelike shaped steering rails being arranged above said tank, and a pair of projections laterally extending from said holding means, one projection on each side of said holding means, each of said steering rails being in engagement with one of said projections during a movement of said carriage along said track whereby said holding means may be swung relative to said carriage about the axis of said pivotal connection.

HEINZ BABLIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 

